, 1887-07-09
HYPOCRITE HARVEY.
He Robs the Government of
Thousands of Dollars.
The Champion Forger of the
World is Detected.
Uncle Sam Made to Pay for
Horses Never Received.
Defraud1ng the Government.

WASHINGTON, July S.-Something of
a sensation was created in the treasury
department this afternoon by the discov-
cry hat a trusted official in the depart
ment had been guilty Of a systematic at.
tempt to defraud the government. The
officer was arrested at Wilkesbarre yester-
day afternoon as he was about to take the
train for Washington, and his dismissal
from the service was ordered by Secretary
Fairchild this afternoon.
His name is Oscar j. Harvey, and he
has been employed in the department
since June, 1885, when he was appointed
chief of the horse claims division of the
third auditors office. 1t was while he
held this position that he perpetrated the
frauds with which he is now charged.
On the End of June last he was trans
ferred to the head of the division in the
second comptroller's office, the division
which has charge of claims of the same
nature as those in the division which
Harvey has Just left. Austin Ii. Brown,
of Indianapolis, succeeded Harvey as
chief of the horse claims, and soon after
he took charge of the office he discovered
the frauds Of which his predecessor had
peer guilty. This consisted of the pas
sage of forty three fraudulent claims for
horses, a%ggregating SO, 200, and the prep
aratlOn OF many additional cases of a sim
liar nature which were under considera-
ton in the Office.
In most cases the claims are for horses
lost during the late war and are presented
IN the names of officers of the Pennsyl
vania and New Jersey regiments. All of
the cases appeared to have been prescott
ed by W. w. Wynn, first OF Philadelphia
and then Of Washington, and the services
OF j. T.. Manford, notary public of Phlla
delphia, were called INTO requisition In
connection with the necessary atidavits.
The work involved the stealing Of numer.
GUS discriminating papers from the files of
the department. In thirteen claims it
was found that the signatures involving
the names of thirty-eight officers were
.forgeries.
Subsequently it was found that the
second auditors name had been forged in
the certificates received from hat office,
and also that none of the Pennsylvania
and New Jersey cases in which Wynn was
attorney were entered on the records of
that Office. The claims which have been
allowed were then overhauled, and in
almost every instance it was found that
the second auditor certificates as to the
signatures had been distracted, together
with other papers.
The stamp of the mail room of the
third auditors office and the stamp of the
horse claims division had been forged and
the dates arranged so as TO bring them
within the Limitation fixed for the filing
of these claims. The stamp OF the quar-
termaster generals office was also forged.
Drafts had been regularly issued and the
examination of such as have been re.
turned as paid shows that Harvey and
Wynn are one and the same person, and
that although the drafts were drawn in
favor of the claimants the money, with
one or two exceptions, went directly to
Harvey or some relatives.
He had secured their payment by forg-
ing the signature of the payee and then
endorsing the draft with his own name.
Manford, the Philadelphia notary public,
like Wynn, the attorney, was found to be
a myth. Most of the notaries and per.
sons named in the claims are unknown to
the department. In addition to the forty,
three cases passed, there have been 15O
similar cases adjusted, aggregating 800,
900, and there are still pending and un-
adjusted sixty eight cases, amounting to
$l3,6 600, making a total OF l6l fraudulent
cases which might eventually have been
paid but for this discovery.
Harvey was brought to the city by of,
ficers of the secret service, who have kept
him under surveillance since he was first
suspected. Harvey asked to see the sec.
rotary. and when he was informed of the
evidence against him he broke down com
pletely and made a full confession of his
guilt.